The cover of this month’s edition of Midwest Real Estate News features an interview with HSA PrimeCare’s health care real estate experts Suzy Cobin and Jon Boley as part of an exploration of the growth in outpatient medical facility development.

“Most people prefer outpatient centers that are convenient to them,” said Jon Boley, vice president of acquisitions and development for HSA PrimeCare. “They prefer that to going to the hospital. So there’s been a real effort by the hospitals to look at patient demand and open centers that are convenient for these patients. They are easy to get into and out of. They are open reasonable hours. It’s just a environment that’s more attuned to what patients today like.”

Hawthorn Surgery Center, Vernon Hills, Ill.

HSA PrimeCare has worked closely with numerous major Midwest health systems to address the need to modernize their real estate strategy as a result of changes in the delivery of patient care. Most recently, PrimeCare broke ground on a $10 million outpatient surgery center in north suburban Vernon Hills, Ill. to be occupied by a subsidiary of Birmingham, Ala.-based Surgical Care Affiliates. HSA has also partnered with Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point to develop a 12,000-square-foot outpatient clinic in Lowell, Ind., having just completed a separate outpatient cancer center with the Franciscan Alliance in Michigan City 2012.

“More Baby Boomers are in need of more care,” Cobin said. “Hospital systems are grappling with how to serve more patients. These outpatient centers are a convenient way to serve patients that doesn’t bunch up a hospital’s inpatient facilities. A lot of hospitals are at capacity. These off-campus facilities allow hospitals a way to serve more patients, elevate the patient-care experience and capture a greater market share.”

The article, authored by Midwest Real Estate News’ editor Dan Rafter, also makes reference to the strategic partnerships formed by several key health systems  and research institutions to deliver state-of-the-art care through satellite facilities to new geographic markets that may be otherwise unserved by a major hospital. Rafter points to the joint practice in oncology formed by Silver Cross Hospital and University of Chicago Medicine at their new cancer center developed by HSA PrimeCare in New Lenox, Ill. as an example of how hospitals are finding ways to offer highly-specialized care in community locations. The PrimeCare team expects to see and consult on more of these types of projects in the future.

The full article is available in this month’s Midwest Real Estate News print edition or online at REJournals.com.